WEST PALM BEACH – Oxbridge Academy ladies soccer workforce is trying to put their season finale behind them and return to profitable methods as district playoffs open this week in highschool soccer.
After struggling simply their second lack of the season to Benjamin final week, the Thunderwolves (13-1-2) spent the week getting locked in forward of postseason play.
Oxbridge workforce captain Angelina Coelho leads an upstart offense into their first spherical in opposition to King’s Academy on Thursday.
Forward of the district matchup, listed below are three takeaways from Oxbridge’s season and what to anticipate of their postseason efficiency:
1. Assault of the freshmen!
Freshman Aniyah Seedeen-Vargas leads the Thunderwolves with 10 objectives, and the following highest goal-scorer is Liani Gil, her freshman accomplice within the attacking half.
It’s been a youthful attacking surge from Oxbridge this season, however whereas the long run could also be extremely vivid, these freshmen are simply as able to win now as they’re later.
“She has her complete future forward of her and she or he has been a powerhouse within the entrance and within the midfield,” head coach Nelly Palage mentioned of Seedeen-Vargas. “Within the attacking mid, she has been very important to this workforce. That has [given] us a completely totally different perspective of how we assault as a workforce.
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The workforce has missed the management of star senior Angelina Coelho on account of a minor meniscus harm this yr, however the offense hasn’t appeared to overlook a beat – and Coelho herself had huge phrases of reward for younger ahead Seedeen-Vargas and the offense round her.
“I feel them coming onto the workforce, having a little bit background in soccer has been a extremely good factor for us,” Coelho mentioned. “As a result of after I got here again onto that discipline, I felt like nothing was totally different. And we simply related so effectively. Aniya jogs my memory of me after I was a freshman. She has had plenty of affect on the workforce and has been a pacesetter at the same time as a freshman.”
A excessive praise certainly, and one that ought to instill sleepless nights for opposing defenses.
2. Goaltender Mallory Forgatch is tough to beat
Whereas the offense has been spectacular, it takes a stout protection to be aggressive in soccer.
With goalkeeper Mallory Forgatch on the helm, Oxbridge has made issues exceedingly troublesome for even the most effective offenses they’ve confronted throughout district and county play.
“She began when she was a freshman, and she or he’s been unimaginable taking ahold of the workforce,” Palage mentioned of her goalie. “She’s the final defender and she or he has proven this yr unimaginable independence and management from the again finish.”
The Thunderwolves sported a head-turning 34-10 purpose differential through the common season, whereas Forgatch tallied 88 saves throughout that stretch.
Moreover her vocal management on the pitch, Forgatch’s athleticism and intelligence have impressed Palage since her freshman yr.
“There’s only a few balls that undergo. She may be very versatile, agile. Her transitions, she has fast ft and she will be able to predict the place that ball goes. I’m fairly comfortable to have her.”
Coming into district play in opposition to King’s Academy, Forgatch might want to stay vigilant in opposition to a Lions workforce that has scored 56 objectives throughout a 13-win common season marketing campaign.
3. Coelho’s management an enormous enhance in senior’s return
Whereas the freshmen have been stealing lots of the headlines this yr for Oxbridge soccer, defenses would do effectively to not neglect the affect created by senior Angelina Coelho.
Getting back from her meniscus harm final month, Coelho has bolstered a dynamic assault.
“Coming again, she simply gave the workforce much more energy, which is a surplus,” Palage mentioned. “She got here again even stronger.”
Even relationship again to her time of harm, Coelho’s management has by no means wavered with the workforce. She’s watched each sport from the sidelines, providing not solely her help and encouragement, but in addition recommendation because the skilled senior has seen match.
Coelho, who has dedicated to play faculty soccer at Florida Southern, knew from the second she noticed the workforce working towards collectively earlier than the season {that a} promising yr lay earlier than them.
After a powerful 8-0 begin to open up their common season, a loss to American Heritage was humbling, Coelho mentioned. The ThunderWolves suffered their second loss final week in an exhilarating 3-2 match with Benjamin within the Palm League Championship semis.
And when Oxbridge tied Gulliver Prep of their season finale, she and the remainder of her squad gathered to debate their aims for the playoffs.
“We’re prepared for this postseason,” she mentioned. “All of us sat down and talked about what objectives we had in thoughts for one another, objectives for ourselves, and objectives for the workforce. And I feel it’s going to be a great postseason for us.”
A High 5 rematch could possibly be in line as Benjamin enters the postseason ranked No. 3 in Class 3A state rankings with the ThunderWolves not far behind at No. 5.
District 12-3A Championships
Ladies Soccer
Host: Increased Seed
Quarterfinals – Jan. 27 @ 6 p.m.
No. 4 Cardinal Newman (4-5-1) vs. No. 5 Pahokee (1-8)
Semifinals – Feb. 1 @ 6 p.m.
No. 1 Benjamin (10-1-1) vs. Newman/Pahokee
No. 2 Oxbridge Academy (10-2-1) vs. No. 3 King’s Academy (13-2-4)
Championship – Feb. 3 @ 6 p.m.
Boys Soccer
Host: Increased Seed
Quarterfinals
No. 4 Cardinal Newman (2-4-3) vs. No. 5 Pahokee (0-10)
Semifinals
No. 1 Benjamin (5-5) vs. Newman/Pahokee
No. 2 Oxbridge Academy (4-7-2) vs. No. 3 King’s Academy (6-4-4)